


Blessed Darkness

by thecolornine



Series: Lies Trilogy [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 05:10:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2416121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecolornine/pseuds/thecolornine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He promised he would protect me. He swore he would tell the truth. He vowed never to hurt me again.</p><p>He lied.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blessed Darkness

Rain slammed against the castle roof. Not even a sliver of moonlight was visible behind the layer of dark clouds blanketing the land. Inside the castle, everyone was sound asleep. Everyone…. save for a young woman, with eyes as red as blood, lurking in the shadows.

Perhaps lurking was the wrong term. She was merely performing her nightly rounds, guarding the Royal Chambers, where His Majesty, the King, lay asleep at last, after many a fortnight spent up and awake, fretting over the ongoing war. The woman sighed. This infernal war had without a doubt taken a substantial toll on the land, with its inhabitants fighting one another without rhyme or reason. All because of some insignificant legend…..

A soft cry pierced through her thoughts. Immediately the woman reacted; she rushed into the small room just off the main Royal Chambers. The source of the cries was unmistakable: a young princess, wrapped in warm velvet blankets, and laid to rest in a beautiful dark-wood cradle. Upon seeing the woman, the princess ceased her tears, bringing a smile from the woman. She scooped the young princess, who was only a year old, into her arms. The baby’s golden curls and sparkling blue eyes gave her a cherubic look, almost as if an angel had fallen unto them.

“Hush now, little one, and let Impa sing you a song,” the woman whispered. The babe gurgled happily.

 Impa smiled, and began the song she had sung so many times to the young princess.

 

_“Go to sleep,_

_Rest upon your bed,_

_May this night bring dreams to your head_

_Hear my voice,_

_Never let it die,_

_Keep this lullaby_

_Soon the sun shall set on,_

_Long it will be till dawn,_

_Never from you will I be gone_

_Carry on,_

_Rid this world of fear,_

_Now the time is near,_

_Peace will soon reign here...”_

 

 By the end of the melody, the young princess had drifted off to sleep. Quietly her caretaker slipped her into her cradle, and left the room.

 “Goodnight, Princess Zelda.”

* * *

As Impa continued her guard, she thought of the final verse of the melody she’d sung, a tune that had been christened “Zelda’s Lullaby”, as the princess loved the song so much.  _Peace will soon reign here_ ….. It sounded like a false promise that could not be kept. As this war wore on, Impa wondered if the land could ever know peace again.

 As her thoughts ran wild, a guard managed to sneak up on the woman. It was extremely hard to do such a thing, as Impa was a Sheikah- one of the last remaining “Shadow People”, forever loyal to the Royal Family. The Sheikah were always on their guard, which made startling them a difficult task. Yet Impa was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn’t realize the guard was near until he shouted her name.

 “Lady Impa!” the guard all but hollered. Impa jumped five feet in the air, and, whipping around, swiftly swept out his feet and disarmed him. The guard landed on his bum, and gazed up, stunned, at the Sheikah, who was pointing his own spear at him.  She quickly realized her mistake and, scowling, dropped the spear at his feet.

 “How many times must you lot be reminded _not_ to scare me?” Impa reprimanded strictly. The guard stumbled to his feet and retrieved his spear.

 “My sincerest apologies, milady,” he mumbled. “But there is an urgent matter that requires your immediate attention.”

 Impa’s eyebrows rose. “Oh really? What would that be?” She had learned long ago not to trust the alleged “urgency” the guards spoke of, as they were often minor ordeals that could be dealt with quickly and easily _by a competent person_. Yes, some of the guards were decent at their jobs, but the majority were mere simpletons, mainly commoners from the Castle Town (as all the capable, experienced soldiers were off fighting) hired to protect the castle… or, at the very least, slow down an invasion, should one occur.

 _Not that one would,_ Impa mused. No one in the land would ever dare attack the Castle of Hyrule, or its King, for that matter. 

 Sensing the guard staring at her, Impa shot him a glare. “Well?”

 “O-oh, yes, milady,” he stuttered. Clearing his throat, he said,

“A parcel was found, just outside the castle, hidden among the bushes. No one dared touch it without consulting you first, ma’am.” 

The Sheikah sighed inwardly. In the name of Din, how was she to keep guard over the King and Princess with these fools bothering her ever few moments?

 “Alright,” she said finally. “Stay here while I investigate this… _mysterious parcel_. Leave this post at any time, and you shall pay with your life. These are dangerous times we are facing, and His Majesty and the princess must remain safe at all costs. Understood?”

 The guard nodded meekly, his face pale. Impa bit back a small grin, and took off for the garden.

* * *

"Lady Impa!"

“Over here, milady!”

“Move over, you lot, let her through!”

 A bustling crowd of Hyrule guards met the woman’s gaze as she reached the Palace Gardens. Only a handful of soldiers were stationed throughout the garden, so all the rest must have abandoned their posts. Such acts made Impa furious, but she kept herself calm and collected.

 “Yes, I am here. Those of you who do not belong in the garden, return to your post immediately! You are lucky to not receive punishment.”

 About three fourths of the guards quickly fled, leaving only about nine or ten. An older man, obviously the head of this unit, came forward.

 “My apologies, milady,” he apologized, bowing his head. “I had asked that my men keep quiet until Lissoue came back, but apparently they have a hard time keeping their mouths shut…” He glared at his troops, who all shared the same look of embarrassment.

 “It is alright, Captain. I have left your man, Lissoue, at my post for the time being. Now, what is it that you wish to show me?”

 “I will guarantee that it is not a waste of your time, milady.” He led Impa over to the thickest part of the bushes, right alongside the wall of the castle. At first, Impa saw nothing. Then, as her eyes focused through the thicket, she caught a glimpse of a dark brown cloth-like material. No one dared remove the bundle from the bushes, so Impa reached in, ignoring the thorns that scraped her bare, toned arms, and picked it up. She brought it to her bosom, and, already suspecting what the cloth held, dug into the bundle, moving the cloth so its contents would be seen. 

A shocked gasp emanated from the guards crowded around Impa. For within the pile of scrap cloth… was a baby.

* * *

Back inside the castle, Impa sat against a wall, the child, a little girl, in her arms. She had implored that the guards not wake the King and tell him of the strange babe found in the bushes. No, she would tell him in the morning, once all the excitement had died down a bit, and the King was in a better mood after a good night’s sleep.

With a soft sigh, so as not to wake the sleeping girl, Impa stole a glance at the child. She was odd looking- skin as white as snow, lips like wine, and hair…. The noble shivered slightly, though there was no draft. The child’s hair was an extremely unusual color. It was neither blond, nor red, but rather an odd mix of the two. It appeared to be the tint of an early sunset, the gold and the red blending to form a sort of light orange color. Impa doubted she had ever seen a person with such hair. Even the local ranch owner’s daughter had hair that was a less abstract hue than that of this child. Yet, she felt oddly… drawn to this babe, in a way. Impa felt a sense of compassion for the girl. After all, what kind of mother would abandon her daughter (who Impa had assumed to be at least a year old, give or take) in the middle of a cold, rainy night, especially with the country in its current condition? The idea disgusted Impa; if the mother could not take care of the child, she shouldn't have had it. 

Instantly she felt regret for saying such a thing. They _were_ at war, after all. Perhaps the child’s mother was too poor to care for her, and left her somewhere safer. Or maybe the child was an orphan, and a townsperson had sought a better home for her. But what sort of life did they expect the child to have in the Castle? Impa shook her head. Oh, well. It mattered not how the child came to be there. What truly mattered was its fate, which it would meet come sunrise.

* * *

King Gaepora was truly in marvelous spirits after his heavenly nights’ slumber. Impa had been proven right- proper rest from the ongoing war preparations and strategy gatherings had done wonders for his mood, as well as his health. He looked forward to another day, perhaps what would be one step closer to ending this callous war, and restoring peace to his once prosperous kingdom. Yet, as he rose from his luxurious bed, a rather odd sight greeted him. ‘Twas Impa, her expression serious, nearly grim. Gaepora opened his mouth to inquire, but his inquiry died in his throat, as Impa simply shook her head. Then, without another word, she left, bidding the king to follow her.

After a time, the Sheikah stopped, in front of the Royal Nursery. A sense of dread gripped the king’s heart, and he feared the worst. 

“Z-zelda…?” He stuttered. To Gaepora’s great relief, Impa gave a reassuring, though short-lived, smile. Relieved that his only daughter was alive and well, the Hyrulian king entered Zelda’s chambers. Nothing seemed out of place- the princess was sound asleep in her basinet, all her toys, clothing, and other necessities neatly tucked away in their proper places. However, among the predominantly pink-and-gold themed room, a small dark item stood out, an eye sore in a place otherwise fit for a princess. The thing seemed to be almost like a hollowed-out basket, with a bundle of old cloth stuffed inside. Yet as Gaepora drew closer… the bundle moved.

Frightened, he drew back quickly, nearly trampling upon Impa, who had entered the chambers after him.  

“What…w-what is that?” The king stammered. She bit her lip and sighed, though said nothing. Rather, the royal attendant approached the basket, dipping her arms into it, and receiving the bundle graciously. The thing shifted once more, and Impa smiled. Catching sight of the king’s utterly confused expression, she loosened the fabric around the parcel. A soft, hardly audible coo was heard, and as King Gaepora peered into the bale, his eyes were met with ones of a strange hue. A canvas of the deepest black coated the iris; within the ebony expanse lay a profound blend of scarlet-orange and gold. Alongside a set of darkness the unusual shade blazed, similar to a brilliant fire against a backdrop of dusky smoke. The king was deeply disturbed by the rare colour such eyes held, so much so that he hardly took in the rest of the appearance retained by the owner of the sparkling orbs. Upon realizing the other external looks of the creature within the roll of cloth, he drew back, in both disgust, and fear. 

“What in the name of the goddesses _is_ that thing?!” He hissed, terror lacing his features. 

“Milord,” replied Impa levelly, “it is a babe. She was discovered last night, just within the castle walls, in the eastern palace garden. The guards who stumbled upon her found no information about the child, save for her name.” 

The Sheikah glanced at something scrawled upon the cloth. Gaepora could hardly make it out; it appeared to have been embroidered into the blanket that embraced the baby, though it now resembled the rest of the sheet: faded, patched, and absolutely filthy. It was with great difficulty that he attempted to decipher the near-illegible cursive; what he managed to make out was, perhaps, the most abnormal name he had ever come across. 

“Akeila?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty. It does not seem to be a name indigenous to the land; nor does the child’s appearance come close to rivaling that of any Hyrulian citizens.” 

“Yet, you took in this…this _creature_ … without knowing of its origins?” Gaepora’s voice was deathly calm, and would have made the strongest of his soldiers cringe. Impa, however, stood firm, and met his glare with one of her own.  

“Milord, she is a mere _child…_ ” 

“Impa, it is a _demon!_ How can you _possibly_ address this thing as a child, mark it as equal to any other babe, to the princess!” 

“My King, you know that is not what I-” 

“Silence! Art thou truly so blind? Can you not _see_ the demonic features it possesses?”

“With all due respect, milord, we are at _war-_ ”

 “Exactly!” the king howled. “We _are_ at war, yet you bring this _beast_ into the castle, to board within the _same_ chambers as Princess Zelda! What if this is a trick? Some sort of… ruse, a Trojan horse?! No doubt our enemies would consider the Hylians _too soft_ or _too compassionate_ to refuse an ‘innocent babe’! Yet watch! We are now susceptible to attack, simply because _you_ could not turn away a ‘ _mere child’-_!”

 “ _MILORD!_ ”

 Gaepora fell silent at Impa’s outburst. Normally calm and levelheaded, it took a great deal to anger the Sheikah. The king’s rants, however, had done just that.

 “You have forgotten, Your Majesty, whom we are at war with!”

 The king thought for a moment. There were the Rebels, a once substantial group of people leading the civil war, which consisted of many rogue Hylians, and a small number of exiles from other lands, who had been banished from Hyrule for severe acts against the country. The Zoran and Goron tribes also contributed to the war’s cause, and while they were not as publicly known as the Rebels, the nations were just as dangerous, if not more so.

 Still, the war effort had been dwindling. Many had begun to desert the cause, and the once enormous Rebel army had decreased tremendously. All was due to the valiant efforts of the king’s forces. A great number of citizens who remained loyal to the Royal Family had jumped at the chance to serve their country. And while the war had taken a horrid toll upon the land, Gaepora knew it was sheer will, dedication, and heart that kept the people going.

 So into his own mind was he, that the king did not notice Impa’s impatient expression.

 “Your Majesty!”

 Jolted from his daze, the king grunted, and, realizing he had yet to answer Impa’s question, sighed.

 “I am well aware whom it is we are fighting, Impa.”

 “Then might I be correct in saying, that this young girl looks _nothing_ like the sort of the nations with whom we rage this incessant war?”

 Gaepora thought for a moment; while he yearned to admit the attendant was right, that he himself was overreacting due to the pent up stress and anxiety this infernal war had caused…

 His eyes lit up, and suddenly, he knew.

 “It’s _her_ ,” the king whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

 “ _Her?_ Milord, whoever do you speak of?” Impa asked incredulously.

 “ _Her,_ Impa, don’t you _see_? That girl, that accursed _witch_ , whose words have haunted me since that day!”

 By now, the king was close to hyperventilating. A crazed look had settled over his features, and he looked positively mad.

 Gently, Impa enquired once more,

 “Sir… What girl?”

 Gaepora shook his head.

 “You wouldn’t have known Impa; you were too young to recall. She was… Well, I truly do not wish to remember, myself. But she promised a curse upon me, upon Hyrule… And this, this child… It bears her eyes… The eyes of a _monster!_ ”

 Impa was shocked, though she hid it well. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to reason with the obviously distressed king.

 “Milord, please. Are you truly so cruel, so heartless, that you would turn away a baby, in the fear that she would grow to harm your kingdom? Would the goddesses think kindly of a man who does such a thing?”

 Gaepora paused, breathing heavily. Perhaps this was his test? How clearly he remembered that day, when she had hurled those horrific words at him…

  _‘You are a cold, evil man! Would the goddesses truly give such a despicable creature the divine right to rule their land? Beware, cruel king, for one day, your own fears shall usurp you; your precious kingdom shall crumble, all because of your own harsh brutality!’_

The girl had called him cold, and cruel. He had spent so much energy trying not to be the vindictive man his father was, yet she had shown him otherwise. Could it possibly be that this child was a trial of some sort? Gaepora sighed inwardly. While against his initial judgment, he knew he could not turn the child away, no matter how much it reminded him of his dreaded past. He turned to Impa.

 “Fine, I relent. The child may stay; she is to remain under your care, until she comes to appropriate age. At such time, she will be trained as Princess Zelda’s handmaid.”

 His tone hardening, the king continued,

 “The child is strictly prohibited from leaving the Castle. Indeed, no one outside the grounds is to know of her existence. I, myself, wish never to see her. You are to keep her out of my sight as much as possible. Are my orders understood?”

 Impa nodded.

 “Yes, my lord.”

* * *

Before noon of that same day, the infant’s room had been completely furnished. King Gaepora had forbidden her sharing of Princess Zelda’s chambers, and ordered that a spare room be converted into an additional nursery. This one was not nearly as lovely as the princess’s: it contained but an old, wooden basinet, contributed by a maid whose own children had long outgrown it; a trunk, containing attire for the babe; and a changing table. She would need to be bathed in the servant’s washroom, such the king saw fit; after all, the child was to be raised as but a mere servant.

 As she rocked the little girl to sleep in her arms, Impa could not help but pity the child. Unwanted, alone, left to perish in a war-stricken world. Were the goddesses so cruel? Yet perhaps there was hope for the girl. At least she could grow, strong and happy, in the safest environment one could offer. Impa, herself, had made up her mind to care for the child as her own. It was the king’s odd behavior that had troubled the Sheikah. While she knew nothing of the strange girl he spoke of earlier, she had become genuinely worried for his mental state, what with his ranting and raving. Now, however, he seemed better, though much colder, and more distant.

 Though despite her earlier claims, Impa could not set aside the feeling that this baby girl wasn’t ordinary. She did sense something unusual about her, yet she couldn’t identify what. Nonetheless, she pushed the idea aside, focusing instead of the sleeping babe’s form.

  _Rest well, young Akeila._


End file.
